Time controlled automatic engine starter



W. L. SUTTON TIME CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC ENGINE STARTER Filed Oct. 15,1955 July 4, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR.

WILLIAM L. SUTTON BY wnh ATTORNEY.

July 4, 1961 w. L. SUTTON 2,991,370

TIME CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC ENGINE STARTER Filed Oct. 15, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 2 STARTER can. ENGINE MOTOR INVENTOR.

WILLIAM L. SUTTON BY ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,991,370 TIMECONTROLLED AUTOMATIC ENGINE STARTER William L. Sutton, New Burlington,Ohio, assignor of one-half to Louis Rado, Dayton, Ohio Filed Oct. 13,1955, Ser. No. 540,200 1 Claim. (Cl. 290-38) The present inventionrelates to a time controlled automatic engine starter and it consists inthe combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts hereindescribed and claimed.

Generally the device consists of a clock, two solenoid switches and adelay relay in tube form. The clock is equipped with contact points anda setting hand whereby the device may be set to operate at a given timeat which time certain contact points within the clock are closed. Fromthese points run two wires to the cars ignition switch and thus, whenthe points are closed, the ignition is on. Another wire runs from thecold post inside the clock to the remainder of the unit so that when theignition is turned on, the unit itself goes into operation. One solenoidswitch and the delay relay tube are wired so that when the heaterelement in the tube is heating, the automobiles starter motor is notengaged. When the heater element becomes hot, contact points inside thetube close thus allowing current to flow into the solenoid which cutsoff the power to the heater element in the tube and at the same timecompletes -a circuit to the cars starter solenoid which is then groundedand a circuit thus closed to the starter motor. When the heater elementin the tube cools, it causes the points therein to open thus cutting outthe circuit to the starter motor and again completing the circuit to theheater element. This on and off procedure is repeated approximatelyevery five seconds preventing the automobiles carburetor from flooding.Likewise in the event of the starter motor merely spinning (not engagingthe fly wheel) the five second intermediate period gives the startermotor time to come to a complete stop before the next attempt to startthe motor. When the cars engine starts, current from the cars voltageregulator is directed to the second solenoid switch and this breaks theflow of current to the first mentioned solenoid and the tube thusdisengaging the starter motor. If an automobile is left unattended, theengine will run for about fifteen minutes at which time the contactpoints inside the clock itself will open thus shutting off allelectrical current in the car. Another switch is placed in the cars gearshift linkage so that it will be connected only when the cars gear shiftis in neutral position thus preventing starting of the car while ingear. Likewise, if theft should be attempted while the car is running,when the gear shift is moved from the neutral position, it will causethe engine to sto I is accordingly an object of the invention to providea novel time controlled automatic engine starter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterset forth which is comparatively simple in construction, inexpensive tomanufacture, capable of occupying a minimum of space and yet which iseffective and efiicient in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement ofswitches which form a part of the invention.

Still another object of the invention is the provision, in a device ofthe character set forth, of a novel use for a relay delay tube.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from areading of the following specification taken in conjunction with thedrawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of an embodiment of the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof,

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the device illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2,

FIGURE 4 is a schematic view illustrating the electrical system utilizedin the device,

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the clockillustrated in FIGURE 1 showing certain novel features of the invention,and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line66 of FIGURE 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein aclock generally indicated at 10 and including, in addition to the usualmechanism therein found, a shaft 111 geared in usual manner to controlthe setting of an alarm. The shaft 11 extends through a frame 12 andterminates at its front end in an indicating hand 13 which may be readin conjunction with a dial 14 upon the clock face 15. The rearward endof the shaft 11 is provided with an operating handle 16 provided with areduced portion 17 which bears against the apex portion of an arcuateflat spring 18, it being understood that the shaft 11 extends. centrallythrough the spring 18 and that the leg portions of the spring 18 bearagainst the rear portion of the frame 12. Adjacent the front wall of theframe 12 there is afiixed to the shaft 11 a collar 19 having a slot 20formed in the peripheral edge portion thereof.

In the operation of this portion of the invention, it will be apparentthat when the shaft 11 is moved by means of the handle '16 until aparticular time is indicated upon the dial 14, that thereafter when theclock has continued to run until the preselected time, the arm 23, beingbiased in a forward direction, will thereupon act to move the dog 28into engagement with the slot 20, such dog being a part of the gear 21whose hub 22 is slidable upon the shaft 11, the dog 28 and slot 20 beingthen in alignment as will be well understood. Thereupon, the movablethermostatic element 84t to bridge the contact 25 will come intophysical contact with the fixed contact member 26. When additional timehas passed, depending upon the size of the notch 20, the detent or dog28 will then be moved out of engagement with the notch 20 and the gear21 and its hub moved rearwardly or to the right as viewed in FIGURE 5which action will cause the arm 23 to likewise move to the right thusopening the contacts 25 and 26.

As shown in FIGURE 4, a wire 30 interconnects the frame 12 preferably atthe contact point 24 and extends to a main switch 31 which is, in turn,connected by a wire 32 to a switch 33 mounted upon the gear shiftlinkage (not shown). The switch 33 will be open unless the automobilesgearing is in neutral position; A wire 34 connects the switch 33 to thehot post 60 of the automobiles ignition switch 61, the hot post 60 beinginterconnected to the automobiles battery 62 by a wire 63. A wire 35interconnects the fixed contact member 26 with the cold post 64 of theignition switch 61.

A starter motor 65 is connected by a wire 66 to the cold post 67 of thestarter switch 68. A so called hot" post 69 of the starter switch 68 isconnected to the cold post 64 by a wire 70 in the conventional mannerwhereby under normal operation the driver closes the ignition switch 61and then closes the starter switch 68 until the engine 71 has startedwhereupon the starter switch: 68

post 74 thereof and another post 75. The switch 51 is opened whenelectrical current flows from a voltage regulator 76 through a wire 77to the coil 78 of the switch 51, the voltage regulator only receiving.such current when a generator 79 is' operated by the engine 71 in theconventional manner.

A wire-80 connects the post 75 of the switch 51 to a delay relay tube37, the tube 37 being mounted on a chassis 36. The wire 80 is connectedto a post 81 of the tube 37, the post 81 being interconnected to a post82 of tube 37 by a heater element 83. The post 81 is also connectedto afirst contact 53 of a thermo switch 84 having another contact 54, thecontacts 53 and 54 closing and making electrical contact therebetweenwhen the heater element 83 supplies suflicient heat within the tube 37.The contact 54 of the thermo switch 84 is connected to a post 85 of thetube 37, the post 85 being connected to a coil 86 of another solenoidoperated switch 50 by a wire 87.

The post 82 of the tube 37 is connected to a contact 88 of the switch 50by a wire 89. The relay switch 50 is normally in the positionillustrated in FIGURE 4 and thus electrically connects the 'post 88thereof to a post 89 which. leads to ground whereby current is normallypermitted to pass through the heater element 83 to ground. 7

A second pair of contacts 90 and 91 are electrically connected by thesolenoid switch 50 when the coil 86 thereof is energized, the electricalconnection between the contacts 88 and 89 thus being broken whereby theflow of current through the heater element '83 is terminated. Thecontact or post 90 is connected to the cold post 67 of the starterswitch 68 by a wire 92 and the contact or post 91 is connected to thewire 35 by a wire 93. In this manner when the posts 90 and 91 areconnected by the switch 50, electrical current is permitted to flow fromthe wire 35 to the starter motor 65 to energize the same.

In operation, it will be apparent that when the switches 31 and 33 areclosed and the contact members 25 and 26 are closed at a predeterminedtime as indicated in the explanation given above, a circuit will becompleted from the battery 62 to the post 81 of the delay relay tube 37,the switch 51 being closed as no current is being supplied through thevoltage regulator 76 by the generator 79'. After approximately fiveseconds, the tube 37 will become sufiiciently heated to cause thecontact members 53 and 54 to close a circuit to the solenoid 50, theoperation of which acts to start the automobiles starter motor 65 byconnecting the wires 35 and 92 in the manner previously described. Itwill at the same time cause a break in'the circuit through the heaterelement 83 allowing the tube 37 to cool whereby the contacts 53 and 54open and thus de-energize the solenoid switch 50 and permit the solenoidswitch 50 to again connect the heater element 83 to ground.Simultaneously, the current to the starter motor 65 is terminated untilthe heater element 83 supplies suflicient heat to again cause closing ofthe contacts 53 and 54. This on and off procedure is therefore repeatedabout every five seconds until the engine 71 of the automobile starts.As soon as the engine 71 so starts, current from the voltage regulator76 which is connected to the coil 78 of the solenoid 51 by the wire 77,closes a circuit to the solenoid 51 thus opening the contacts 74 and 75whereby the circuit to the delay relay tube 37 and the solenoid 50 isterminated, thus disengaging the starter motor 65. If the automobile inwhich the present device is installed is left unattended, the engine 71will run for about fifteen minutes (such time interval being regulatedby the size of the notch 20 as aforesaid). Thus in cold weather, it isonly necessary to set the indicating hand to 13 by means of the handle16 to a time approximately fifteen minutes before it is desired to usethe automobile. By running the motor with, of course, the customaryheater in operative condition, it will be apparent that when theoperator is ready to drive his car he will find the same in a completelywarmed condition.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein,it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minormodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A starter system for an internal combustion engine having electricstarter means, gear-shifting means, a storage battery, a generator, anda voltage-regulator device including a conventional cut-out switch forsaid generator closed only when said motor is running, said startersystem comprising: a manually operable selective on-oif switch, atime-controlled switch settable to close at a preselected time andconstructed and arranged to remain closed for a predetermined limitedtime period, a safety switch associated with said gear-shifting meansand constructed and arranged to be closed thereby only in the neutralposition thereof, said switches being connected in series with eachother and with said battery and said starter means, a firstsolenoid-operated switch having a first pair of contacts connected inseries with the aforesaid switches and said battery and starter meansnormally open but constructed and arranged to be closed when thesolenoid thereof is energized and having a second pair of contactsclosed when the solenoid is de-energized, a

:loW-wattage heater, a lead connecting one terminal of said heater toone of said second pair of contacts, a second lead connecting the othercontact of said second pair to ground, a second normally closedsolenoid-operated switch constructed and arranged to open and stay open-when and while the solenoid thereof is energized, the

solenoid of said second solenoid-operated switch being connected to thesaid generator cut-out switch so as to be energized thereby when saidengine is running, said second solenoid-operated switch and said secondpair of contacts of said first solenoid-operated switch being connectedin series with said heater, and a time-delay bimetallic thermostaticswitch thermally closely associated with said heater and constructed andarranged to be opened when heated thereby, said thermostatic switchbeing connected to control the energization of the sole- ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 847,925 EusticeMar. 19, 1907 2,197,726 Johnson Apr. 16, 1940 2,440,142 Elliott Apr. 20,1948 2,579,958 Perhats Dec. 25, 1951 2,606,298 Merritt Aug. 5, 19522,607,013 Drummond Aug. 12, 1952 2,698,391 Braden et a1. Dec. 28, 19542,710,926 Charles June 14, 1955

